Motivational Monday: 6 Habits to Avoid on Your New Job

Now you have gotten yourself that dream job you’ve always wanted, and you are feeling on top of the world. Don’t worry, you deserve all the happiness you can derive from the job, but remember that you’re hired to do one thing — your job. And if you don’t do it, your employer, no matter how nice, might let you go. Most people start their jobs with the best of intentions, never thinking they could be fired especially when they are still new. But unfortunately, a lot of people still get fired; some because of poor performance, other for not meeting their target, or because of unfavourable economic conditions. But most times, people get fired for making elementary mistakes, dropping the ball and not keeping their eyes on the prize. People are just there being themselves, but forgetting to take care of the little things that can cause them big trouble on the job. Let’s see some habits you DON’T want to have on your new job, to avoid getting fired. 1. Don’t Take Official Issues Online You may think you are just ranting or just posting fun stuff that happen at your office. Chances are, because you are new, you won’t understand all the company policies yet. And trust me, company policies are way broader than what is written in the handbook. Taking pictures of yourself at work might not be against your company’s policy, but you would never know if your CEO will not like seeing his office interior posted indiscriminately all over the social media. Posting a social media mention of what is going on at your office, or making fun of a client who was in your office earlier in the day can put your job at risk. If you want to share your office experience, make sure you are no longer is the service of that company anymore or check in with your boss, I am sure he/she would say no. 2. Don’t Lie on Your Resume No matter what, don’t lie on your job resume. Tell the truth from the start, because you will be held responsible for the information you provide and you can never tell when your employer will decide to verify all the information you provided. Most employers won’t tolerate it no matter how efficient you are on the new job or how well you did during the interview. 3. Don’t Take too Many Personal Calls Your official work hours should not be the same time you use to orchestrate your own personal side business or get chatty with your girlfriend. Reduce personal calls to important things. Don’t have an extensive discussion, gist or gossip during your official hours. You might be out of the job and looking for a new one before you know it. 4. Don’t Give Unnecessary Freebies The fact that you are entitled to some freebies where you work, does not mean you should offer them to your friends and family. Even if your employer offers goods or services as one of its employee benefits, don’t take undue advantage of it. If you get on your boss’ bad side, your friends won’t be there to intervene on your behalf. Face your job and enjoy the freebies responsibly. If you really want to do something nice for your friends, take them out for a movie or shopping with your own paycheck. 5. Don’t Assume Your Computer is Private If you are given a computer or a laptop at work, never assume it is private and never use it for private purposes unless you have permission.  Company-owned email addresses are often monitored, but many people erroneously assume conversations conducted through these e-mails are private. Your official e-mail address is most times monitored by the IT department, and I know some bosses who would mirror your system so that they see everything you see. I know you want to watch that movie at work, you want to even visit some adult sites, but trust me; it’s not worth the risk. 6. Don’t Get Romantically Involved With the Boss It can be very tempting to want to date your boss especially if the boss is a very likeable person. And while you might come out of that relationship with more benefits, it can also easily end with someone out of a job – and it’s usually not the boss. So, which of these habits do you have? Which one would you need to drop? Think about them today as you enjoy your new-found job.   About the author: Chris Bamidele is a passionate and unapologetic Nigerian, who believes in God and humanity. He is a writer, blogger, and an aspiring Television Director; and an optimist to the core. He blogs at www.chrisbamidele.wordpress.com and tweets @Chrisbamidele. He currently lives in Lagos.